Clutch mechanism



CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed Dec. 27, 1927 NVENTOR ATTbRNEY Patente'd Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL W. HOLLINGSWORTH, OF MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS,TO OLE G. HERM, OF MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA CLUTCH MECHANISM 7 Application filed December 27, 1927. Serial No. 242,706.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in clutch mechanisms and more particularly to a device adapted to stop a member in a number of predetermined positions.

It is an Object of my invention to provide a clutch mechanism of the foregoing char-' acter which will be simple and economical in construction and positive in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide' a clutch mechanism of the foregoing character which may be expeditiously adapted for usage in connection with an awning or the like.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of construction and in which: V v I Fig. 1 is an elevational view depicting an awning embodying a preferred form of construction for my invention; 7

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 2-2 on Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a view depicting a preferred form of construction for my clutch mechanism lWhlCh is taken on the line 33 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail view taken substantially on the line 44 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 55 on Fig. 3; and Fig; 6 is a perspective detail view depicting a preferred form of construction of one of the operating parts of my improved clutch mechanism.

In the drawings, I have illustrated a preferred form of construction for my clutch mechanism in association with a suitable awning 10 of the type employed on motor vehicles and the like. This awning is mounted on suitable brackets 11 and 12 which are cured to the frame of the motor vehicle or suitably mounted in these offset portions 13 and 14:. The roller 15 is adapted to be of the socalled self-winding type, that is, a spring is provided therein which is adapted to urge the roller 15 in a given direction so as to wind the sheet of material 16 thereon,

said sheet of material being canvas or the like and comprising the body portion of the awning 10.

The lower portions of the brackets 11 and 12 are ofiset inwardly as indicated at 17 and 18 and a substantially U-shaped member 19 :is pivotally mounted in suitable openings such as 20 provided in the portions 17 and 18. Around the bight portion 21 of the member 19 the free end of the sheet of material 16 is looped and therefore when the member 19 is moved from its normal or in operative position depicted by full lines in Fig. 2 to its operative position depicted by dotted lines in Fig. 2 this sheet of material 16 is retracted or unwound from the roller 15 against the action of the spring therein. My improved mechanism is directed to a device which is adapted to stop said bracket 19 in 7 various positions so as to hold the sheet of material 16 1n various unwound positions.

My improved clutch device comprises the member which is adapted to be associated with either or both of the oifset portions 17 and 18 so as to engage the member 19 adj acent its point of pivot. In the present instance the mechanism is associated with the ofi'set portion'17. An annular disk 22is secured to the right angularly extending porber 25 which has a slot 26,formed therein through which the portion 23 extends, the slot 26 permitting the member 25 to be moved laterally of the member 17. The member 25, as stated, is substantially U-shaped andthe stem portions 27 thereof are adapted to be disposed around the portions 17 so as to properly guide the member 25 as the latter is slipped alongthe member 17 At the upper end of the member 25 a projection 28 is provided which is disposed angularly of the member 25 as best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6.

As the member 19 is moved outwardly the disk 22 is rotated and the projection 28 successively engages the notches 24 as said disk 22 travels past said projection 28, it being apparent that gravity acts on the member 25 to urge said member downwardly. In the present instance the three notches 24 are shown on the member 22 but it is to be understood that any desired number of notches might be provided dependent upon the number of positions in which. it is desired to stop the member 19. lVhen it is desired to release the member 19, the member 25 is moved upwardly along the portion 1? and thus the projection 28 is disengaged from the notch 24? an d therefore the spr j in the roller 15 may retract the sheet of material 16 and themember 19 into the full line position of Fig. 2.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a. device which will act to hold the member 16 in various unwound positions and it is also apparent that said member is simple in construction and positive in operation. It isal so apparent that the clutching device may be very expeditiously moved. Attentionis also called to the fact that while I have illustrated and described my improved clutching device as being associated with an awning, my invention not limited to such usage but is intended to be employed inother mechanisms w in which it is desired to stop a member which is urged in one direction in a number of different positions.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a pivotally mounted member, means for urging said member in a given direction, means for holding said member against movement in said given direction including a disk mounted on said member having a plurality of notches formed in the periphery thereof, and a moi. ber slidably mounted on the support for said first-mentioned member adapted to selectively engage said notches. V 2. In a device of the class described, a bracket, a member having a right angularly extending portion journaled in an opening in said bracket, means for urging said member in a given direction, a disk mounted on extending portion journaled in an opening in said bracket,

means for urging said member in a given direction, a disk mounted on said portion adjacent said bracket and having notches formed in the periphery thereof,

and a member 'slidably mounted between said disk and said bracket and having a slot there-' in through which said projection is extended, said member having a projection thereon adapted to selectively engage said notches whereby to limit movement of said first named member.

4-. A device of the class described, a. bracket, a member having a rlght-angularly extending portion journaled in an opening in said bracket, means for urging sald member in a given dlrectlon, a disc mounted on said bracket having notches formed in the periplr ery thereof, a substantially U-shaped mem her having the bight portion thereof arranged in juxtaposition to said bracket member and having the limb portions thereof extending along the sides thereof, said member having an elongated opening therein through which J said right-angularly extending portion is adapted to be extended, and a projection on said member adapted to selectively engage the notches in the periphery of said disc whereby to limit movement of said first named member, said last named member be ing slidable relative to said bracket whereby to disengage said projection from' said notches, i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.-

CARL W. HOLLINGSlVORTH. 

